Al-Araby Al-Jadeed and The New Arab have on Monday 26 June 2017 again outright dismissed calls for its
shutdown as one of the demands made by several Gulf nations for an end to their efforts to isolate Qatar. AlAraby
Al-Jadeed, whose print and online editions are created from offices in London, Doha and Beirut, has
grown to become one of the region’s most read and most trusted sources of independent journalism –
and senior figures have rejected demands from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt that it be shut
down as a blatant infringement of press freedom.

“There are worse things than being banned by Saudi Arabia and the UAE,” said James Brownsell, managing
editor of The New Arab’s English-language edition. “Having them approve of us would be one.” The UAE,
Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have demanded Qatar shut down independent media including Al-Jazeera.
They want Qatar to end its independent foreign policy, and to align itself with the hegemony imposed on
the region by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. They want Qatar, a sovereign country, to limit its diplomatic links
with other nations in the region. These demands prove that the Gulf diplomatic crisis was never about
“fighting terrorism”, it continues to be about making Qatar subservient to its Gulf neighbours.

We don’t speak for Qatar. We have covered Qatar critically on a number of occasions. We don’t
speak for Qatar. We speak for a small group of journalists working to change the narrative over the Middle
East beyond one of blood and sand to involve nuance, context and something more than state
propaganda. And now this small group of journalists find its livelihood threatened by several of the
world’s largest and most powerful economies and autocrats in a move which threatens the existence of any
independent reporting or free press in the countries involved.

The New Arab refuses to be intimidated by this attempt to fundamentally suppress freedom
of opinion. Demanding our closure has not frightened us, nor will it prevent us from continuing to do what
we believe in. If anything, it has emboldened us. It has empowered us.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt fund news outlets in their own countries, the Arab world and the
rest of the world. This isn't unusual. But they use their influence as an axis of disinformation to spread
inflammatory conspiracy and snide insinuations. We have never called on these governments to stop
exploiting the outlets they fund to spread their lies, incitement and defamation - because we do not concern
ourselves with their affairs. Characteristically, prominent state controlled news outlets in these countries have
supported calls for our closure. We hope that western media will do its utmost to shed light on this current
crisis.

Our own journalistic integrity and ethical practices are our top priorities, and we thrive on them and nothing
more. Since our launch in 2014, we have grown based purely on the merit of our coverage – an idea to which
many of the region's gutter journalists are oblivious. The New Arab will never give up championing
freedom and democracy for the Arab world, and will continue to recognise our role at this critical point in
history.

##ENDS## (555 words inc headline)

Notes for editors:

Al-Araby Al-Jadeed and The New Arab can be contacted via our PR officer: pr@alaraby.co.uk +44 (0)
207 148 0366 and +44 (0) 779 891 2559 www.alaraby.co.uk and www.newarab.co.uk
Managing editor James Brownsell and company CEO Abdulrahman Elshayyal are available for comment on
the blockade, the calls for banning and the GCC crisis. Calls for the closure of Al-Araby Al-Jadeed and The New
Arab come amid a deepening diplomatic crisis which has seen SaudiArabia lead otherGulf nations in severing
contact with Qatar, closing land borders and airspace. This editorial by James Brownsell is available for
republishing.

On the 30th of March 2014, Al Araby Al Jadeed launched (www.alaraby.co.uk), aiming to provide Arab audiences with credible and independent news coverage. With those aims in mind, Al Araby Al Jadeed will be launching its daily newspaper to be distributed in markets around the world on the 2nd of September 2014.

The newspaper will remain true to Al Araby Al Jadeed’s commitment to impartial, professional and honest reporting. The newspaper also unashamedly supports the struggle of Arab citizens for freedom and dignity and will stand by them as they aim to achieve their aspirations of justice and democracy.

Our editorial team firmly believes in the importance of diversity and pluralism and the newspaper will be a platform for a wide range of views and opinions; allowing for freedom of expression and intellectual development. It will do its utmost to provide in-depth, engaging and professional coverage in politics, culture, economy, arts, society and sport at regional Arab and international levels.

Al Araby Al Jadeed newspaper is published by Fadaat Media Ltd, a UK company with interests in media and social media production and management.

Ends

For more information please contact our press officer on:

Sumaya.mustafa@alaraby.co.uk

+44 (207) 868 4184

No media attached. Please contact Alaraby for more information.

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/
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01 Sep 2014 14:31:04 GMThttp://www.pressat.co.uk/releases/wwwalarabycouk-independent-journalism-for-a-new-arab-world-47fdc413c4df2756911e2c82bbc5276c
http://www.pressat.co.uk/releases/wwwalarabycouk-independent-journalism-for-a-new-arab-world-47fdc413c4df2756911e2c82bbc5276c
Tuesday 1 April, 2014
Arab people long for social justice, democracy, freedom and dignity. Al Araby Al
￼
Jadeed aims to reflect these aspirations through providing credible, independent news coverage free from any kind of political or partisan interference and influence. Its only bias is towards just values of equality, citizenship and to a fully inclusive and pluralistic understanding of Pan Arabism.

Al Araby Al Jadeed pledges to be a platform for diverse views and opinions, offering its readers a plethora of opinions and comments that enrich the minds of its readers whilst standing firmly against oppression, resisting occupation and supporting Arab citizens in their search for a life of dignity.

Believing firmly in the importance of pluralism and diversity, Al Araby Al Jadeed aims to serve the widest range of readers from the Arab public at large by presenting high quality, independent journalism and analysis. It believes that in doing so; it will fill an existing gap in a highly populated Arab media environment.

Constructive criticism and holding media outlets to account are two actions that can only improve the quality of Arab journalism. Al Araby Al Jadeed invites its readers to engage with its writers and hold them and the site as a whole to account. Only through such an approach can it truly claim to respect its readers.